Oysters

[|Oysters-Virginia Coastal Zon] [|Oysters - Sea Grant Maryland] [|Changing Watersheds - Sea Grant MD] [|Chesapeake Bay Program - eastern oyster] [|Bay History - Chesapeake Bay Program]

Also read the Chesapeake Bay books on the white bookcase for relevant information.

- mollusk - rough shell - grayish and white - thin and watery when babies - larger and stronger as water cools - sprawing - females produce 100 million eggs per year - 24 hours the fertilized eggs turn to larvae - 2-3 week larvae swim freely then settle (larvae produce a liquid cement like substance), develop a foot (used to crawl and explore) - can change gender
 * 1. What is an oyster and what are the stages of an oyster's life?**

- big oysters attach to a flat surface - after attached can not move - small oysters attach to bigger oysters - start to form a coral of oysters
 * 2. Describe the three-dimensional structure of an oyster reef and explain why oysters benefit from this shape**

- provides home and shelter for many small acuatic animals - provide food to many animals - animals: anemones, blue crabs, birds (american oystercatcher), many different fish
 * 3. Explain why oyster reefs are important habitats for many species and identify the species that inhabit and rely on the oyster reefs.**

- filter water - one oyster cleans 50 gallons of water per day
 * 4. Explain why oysters are important to the health of the Bay?**.

- have adapted to the change of the temperature of the water - it feeds on phytoplankton and other living things
 * 5. How have oysters adapted to their environment?**


 * 6. How has the growth of human population negatively impacted the oyster population?**

-people eat oysters like a kid eats candy

Questions from Virginia Coastal Program Outreach.